Kiaochow Prison for Europeans – Qingdao Old Town

Apr, 13, 2012

Constructed in the 1900’s during the German Occupation of Qingdao, the Kiaochow Imperial Court Prison was built to lock up European criminals. This two-storey building, located on the corner of ChangZhou & TaiPing Roads in Qingdao City, is constructed of brick, stone, and wood. At the west end of the building is a watchtower with a cone-shaped roof that has a spiral staircase illuminated by small narrow windows.

The large sloping roof on the main building is typical architecture of Southern Europe. The Kiaochow Imperial Court Prison, covering an area of 6,309 square meters, began construction in 1900 and was completed shortly thereafter. After 1949, it became Qingdao’s first Public Security Bureau Detention House, and is currently under control of the tourism bureau as a museum.